Soft, flavorful bread with a focaccia-like texture, perfect for tearing and dipping. Try it along side a bowl of your favorite soup for a relatively easy, elegant, homemade, soul-satisfying meal.
Rosemary Focaccia
Ingredients
- 1 cup warm 105-115 degrees Fahrenheit water
- 1 tablespoon yeast
- 1 tablespoon white sugar
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt plus more for sprinkling
- 2 tablespoons olive oil divided
- 2 tablespoons rosemary dried or fresh, divided
- 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 1/4-2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, combine warm water, yeast, and sugar. Allow to stand for 10 minutes or until bubbly. While the yeast is getting bubbly, combine 2 cups of the flour, salt, 1 1/2 tablespoons rosemary, oregano and garlic powder.
- Add flour mixture to yeast mixture along with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Mix well. (I put it in my stand mixer with the dough hook on). Slowly add remaining flour to make a very soft dough-- try and resist the urge to add too much flour. You want a soft, wet dough.
- Cover and allow to rise 45 min- 1 hour or until double in size.
- Lightly flour your work surface and transfer dough onto this surface. Divide in half. Shape each half into a rounded loaf and place on a greased cookie sheet or pizza stone. Cover and allow to rise another 45 minutes.
- Heat oven to 375 degrees. Use remaining tablespoon of olive oil to brush over tops of loaves, discarding excess if you have any. Sprinkle with remaining rosemary and some Kosher salt.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes or until very lightly golden-brown. Serve immediately (if you can) with olive oil and balsamic vinegar (if you want).
This bread tastes a lot like the loaves that you get at Macaroni Grill, only (at least I think) better: warm, soft, a little salty; rip off a piece (no knives here) and dip it in some extra-virgin olive oil with a dash of balsamic vinegar and some freshly ground black pepper and you have a meal! If you’re more interested in balanced nutrition, slice each loaf in half length-wise and add Garlic-Herb Sandwich Spread, smoked turkey, Provolone, tomatoes, onions, and lettuce and then cut into wedges. Or try it alongside a bowl of Italian Turkey Soup. This recipe makes 2 small loaves, and each is studded with fresh rosemary and full of flavor.
How do I start making bread?
Scared of making yeast bread? Don’t be! Follow our handy-dandy yeast tips and you’ll sail through with flying colors! You’ll start by proofing yeast– it should look nice and bubbly like this:
Add flour mixture to yeast mixture along with 1 Tbsp. olive oil. Mix well. (you can just toss everything in your stand mixer with the dough hook on).
Next Step: Create Your Dough:
Slowly add remaining flour to make a very soft dough–try and resist the urge to add too much flour. You want a soft, wet dough.
Rise and Shape your Bread Dough
After your dough rises, you’ll divide it in half to make 2 loaves and place each of these loaves on your baking sheet to rise one more time.
How to Bake and Serve your Rosemary Focaccia Loaves
Bake for 15-20 minutes or until very lightly golden-brown. This is the type of bread you’ll want to serve immediately, while it’s warm. Just tear chunks to serve.
There is something soul-satisfying about tearing into fresh bread with your hands. These loaves are so soft and tender and full of flavor.
Questions & Reviews
This was good, even though i think i didn't activate my yeast very well (water not warm enough). So mine came out a little flatter than yours. But I'll try again soon! I used fresh rosemary from my CSA box and it was SO GOOD!
I made this yesterday and LOVED it! Thank you so much for making me realize that yeast breads are not intimidating! I've made two of your yeast breads now, and both have turned out beautifully. I am no longer afraid!
Ah, Russell, I'm loving all your comments!! And don't worry, I think there are a couple other guys here who read/post. I know two of 'em personally (well, not including our hubbies) and I can tell you you're in good company! 🙂 Go forth, Dough Whisperer.
Pizza dough breadsticks yesterday… Flour tortillas today… Rosemary Focaccia tomorrow!!! WEEEEHOOOOOOOOOOO!!! I decided I'm going to tackle a dough project every day this month…yes…that's the plan.
Emily, realize that the 2 tablespoons is used for 2 loaves of bread. It definitely tastes like rosemary, but I don't think it's overly strong.
I'd really like to try this bread, and I really like rosemary… just not too much of it. 2 Tbls sounds like a LOT. Is it very strongly flavored, or does the rosemary kind of mellow out after baking? Thanks!
Let me first say that I'm in love with this site – so much fun to read and search diff recipes. So my first whirl at one of the recipes on this site was this one and it was soo delish & very easy to make! The only thing I'll do differently is chop up my rosemary a bit more next time – I used dried but they were in big pieces. Other than that it was awesome – my fiance loved it too! Thanks Kate!
Hayley–my guess is that it’s probably dehydrated garlic. I’ve also seen them put freshly ground black pepper in there, but if that’s crunchy, that would be bad… 🙂
Just got finished eating half a loaf of that delicious bread. I couldnt have asked for a better lunch. The only thing I am wondering about is the little crunchy things some places put in the olive oil and balsamic. What is that goodness? Roasted garlic? Any ideas?
*oh yeah* …so i may have nearly made my entire two-week menu from your recipes. these were a first tonight…we were just going to have sandwiches, but it turns out, there was no meat, no cheese, no tomatoes, no spinach. so, we pretty much just dipped and ate. and that was our dinner. and i’m not embarassed.
but they were delicious!